Today, the White House created three new national monuments in the California desert, adding nearly 1.8 million acres to one of the largest and most pristine swaths of protected land in the Lower 48. The new monuments—Sand to Snow, Mojave Trails, and Castle Mountains—are more than the lifeless desert you might imagine. They’re biologically rich, providing important habitat for migrating birds and iconic species like desert bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and desert tortoise.